A FEW words and phrases come to mind on the Boxing Day performance against Stoke.
Sub-standard, lethargic, clueless, wayward, blunt, so on so forth to describe yet another classic Liverpool performance which epitomises where the team’s gone wrong as far as the football is concerned.
Blame Brendan Rodgers all you like but there’s only so far he can go. The rest is up to the players to get the basics right.
Possession was repeatedly given away in crucial areas of the pitch which allowed Stoke to pile on one attack after another.
Even when Liverpool did have the ball and were making some threatening moves on goal, the lack of fluidity among the players was painfully obvious to see.
There was hardly any movement among the players around whoever had the ball.
The Stoke defence had a field day just tightly marking everyone without having to move much to keep up the pressure.
Liverpool players seemed rooted to the spot, just waiting for a pass to be played in to them.
When that did happen, and they did open up some kind of a gap, they seemed to insist on taking extra touches and allowing the defenders to re-settle themselves to get a block in.
The guilty players include Steven Gerrard, Jose Enrique, Glen Johnson, Raheem Sterling and even Luis Suarez.
You won’t win football matches like that and it’s all too well blaming Rodgers for his selection process and what not but at the end of the day the players aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do.
The equaliser could possibly be excused as a brilliant ball through to Walters which caught Skrtel cold footed. But Kenwyne Jones’ header from that corner was a punchline which made the Liverpool players look like clowns.
Forget the fact that he was more or less unmarked, how did a weak header like that find its way past two players and squeeze in to the back of the net along the side of the post? Why wasn’t there someone around the near post area there?
Then of course Walters added a third for Stoke – again no one closing him down.
He simply brings the ball down halfway loops a side-footed volley past Reina. A foot up there just in the way of the shot would’ve blocked it and done the job.
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Plus there were numerous other pseudo moves made by Liverpool from the midfield who instead of keeping the ball and trying to find a gap, ended up outrunning themselves and hitting wayward passes straight to the Stoke players.
This is basic football 101, which the players continue to get wrong. Let’s not lay the blame on one individual. It’s either Joe Allen or Stewart Downing or Steven Gerrard or someone else taking the flak, but the fact of the matter remains everyone’s been acting like schoolboys – learning to run with the ball for the very first time.
We know very well these players are more than capable of doing wonders with the ball. Criticise Joe Allen as much as you like but we saw his quality when he turned up against Manchester City some months ago, we know how lethal Gerrard can be on the ball.
But when these players don’t do what they have been known to in the past, no manager can do a thing about it.
Alex Fergusson wouldn’t be half as successful if his teams decided to pass the ball like idiots in a brewery after a drink off.
That’s what Liverpool players looked like against Stoke. They may be a tough side but there’s no way they should have been allowed to take the lead just 10 minutes after going behind.
It wasn’t as much credit to Stoke as it was a shame on the Reds.
Of course now they’ll be traveling to Loftus Road to play a QPR side who’re perhaps their twins when it comes to shambolic football this season – make that erratic.
That’s the word to describe Liverpool nowadays. One step forward with that 4-0 win over Fulham, two back against Stoke.
Now it wouldn’t be a surprise if coupled with the downer of this result and the fact they’re playing a side more or less down in the dumps, if they turn up on the day and knock 3 or 4 past them.
It wouldn’t mean a thing if the next game against Sunderland sees the same old story. And don’t be surprised if that is the case. They would be on a high after beating Manchester City as well.
Liverpool need to get back to the habit of grabbing the game by the neck and keeping their grip on for longer periods. 4 passes put together counts for nothing if the 5th always ends up with the opposition.
Only the players can sort this out – individually and together as a team. A manager can instruct the players what to do; he can’t go out on the pitch himself and do it.
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Nonsense !
Rodgers picks the players . He spent over 30m on pure rubbish that could have spent on top strikers .
It his negative passing system that is slowing our attacks down making it easy to defend against
It is Rodgers negative formation of only playing 1 striker that means we dont score enough
It is Rodgers stubborness in continually playing a useless player like Allen , and continually playing players out of position
It is Rodgers who cant motivate the players to perform for him
It is Rodgers who continually makes stupid substitutions when we are losing
It is Rodgers insistence on sticking to plan A , when plan A doesn’t work
It is Rodgers fault we are in the mess we are in
Well said . I think everyone’s sick of hearing the excuses again and again .
Winners dont make excuses – only losers do
Idiot
Spot on eddie and harry
When did Liverpool football club ever make so many excuses for failure ???
NEVER . The time for excuses is over
I hate to say it as it breaks my heart to see my beloved reds play so poorly against the supposedly weaker teams but the truth is we haven’t really been that good or consistent in the last 20 years ( except the ” golden rafa era winning the champs league and 2nd spot finish in the epl ) … I think a big shake up in the background and scouting staff need a kick up the arse … IMO this has to be part of us not been able to compete with top 6 clubs even for transfers ! I know the club is rebuilding but we need to spend good mooney for some decent players to get us back into those champions league spots…suppose we finish 8th or even 10th this season I can already hear the same bull* from fsg or Br saying its hard to get the quality players we deserve cause we’re not in the champions league and we don’t have the money to compete against manure or chavski !!! So another pain staking season awaits next season then Rodgers will get sacked or resign caving in to pressure and it starts all over again … A new manager with his own style gets rid of the over paid deadwood and has a shoe string budget which won’t be enough to get us back into the top 4 , I’m so depressed being an lfc fan and listening to the * coming from our owners ! Please please if there’s anymore billionaire sheiks or Russian oil tycoons please save us from theses penny pinching clueless yanks !
Im with you 100% on all that
Picked the wrong players, every mows they are a physical side so pick the team to match them. Lost to Aston villa at home Wigan beat them 3 nil. Southampton with average players drew 3 all with stoke. Frankly I’m sick of going to games at anfield depressed and then having to listen to all the bullsxxt excuses from our manager. Whether you like it or not rafa is the only top recognised manager that will jump at the chance of managing Lfc. Since he has left we have been hoping downhill. We as a club have been breaking all the wrong type of. Records. I’m sorry guys but they need rafa back just look at the players we are buying joe Allen, borini and the players we are being linked with now Franco di Santa wtf someone wake me the fxxk up from this nightmare. Brendan is a good salesman he sold well during his interview and needs to realise possession does not win you games villa had 35% possession they beat us 3-1 and stoke had around the same and they beat us 3-1. Please come back rafa and take us back amongst the Europe elite where we belong. Those fans wanted rafa out its not always green on the other side.
Good article. Nicely written.
For people criticising BR, remember we are rebuilding. If you want instant result, go join the russian billionaire sweet dream.
Liverpool are not a club that will change manager every 6 months, remember that.
If we did, shanks would never be a legend at our club.
Support our manager and let him have his own team functioning and performing, not depending on our only striker and 18 year old ressie to score every game.
you are talking rubbish again . Your the only braindead fan to praise the previous article . Just shows your immaturity
You are so dumb . Liverpool sacked Hodgson after 6 months , didnt they ?
I suppose you would have kept him ?
You shouldn’t even mention Shankley on the same comment as the blonk we have in charge now
Shame on you
That’s right mate ,oh hang on we sacked woy after 6 months then kd after a season and a half ! We gave these managers our support I.e in kenny we trust blah blah blah and if you don’t like it go support Chelsea blah blah blah … I’ve been supporting lfc for 28 years and I’m sick of all the bullshit , poor transfers , poor managers , poor owners and under performing over paid players ! The only consistency I’ve seen in the last 28 years is us good loyal fans who invest our own hard earned cash and committed to club returning to challenge at the top ! For once I would like to see our owners show their true intent and give Br their financial support with a nice war chest that could be spent wisely on a creative midfielder ( sorry guys but Allen just isn’t that type of player ) a decent pacey winger who brings goals to the table and a quality striker to compliment the outstanding Suarez … After all fsg carefully picked Rodgers as their preferred manager who I’m giving my support to but it means nowt
Nice article…bt rodger’s got to be blamed also..coates wld av added bite2 d defence against d potters..benitez tried agger@ left bak2 a positiv efect..enrique has rily stepped up his game bt he plays futbal wit no zeal& is a culprit wen it koms 2 misplaced passes…furdamor,rodgers has a questn2 ans. as regards assaidi…YNWA
Rodgers apart from being to blame , has also been very lucky
– He has an exceptional batch of youth to call on , and hasnt even used as many as he should
– He has been very lucky with injuries , this season Liverpool have had less than anyone else
– He hss had Suarez in the form of his life , the premier leagues best player on board and we are still only 10th
The man should have been sacked 2 months ago . Even Roy Hodgson did better
Rodgers OUTTTTTTTTTTTTT!, FFS people WAKE UP!!!, the clown needs to GO!!!!!!!! and take Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh with you!!! OUTTTTTTTT!.
FOOL
Why are people defending Rodgers ? He is a catastrophe
The players do what the manager tells em to do , if they dont do it they should be dropped . I dont see many getting dropped . FFS it took til mid december b4 he drops that clown Allen
Did Rodgers need 25 games to see Allen is rubbish ??
Rodgers is not doing his job properly . The formation and style of play is muck
If I was nervously awaiting the kick off a big game and thinking about the ideal opponents I’d like to face I’d want them to be:
a) Physically lightweight, consisting of players I could get stuck into without fear
b) Lacking in ideas so that they only had one way of playing
c) Lacking in goal threat from different positions so I could focus on the one threat they did have
d) Slow to build their attacks so I could bomb forward and press and attack them without worrying about having the time to get back if we lose possession
I’d like to face Liverpool.
That sums up Liverpool exactly…….. but of course none of it is the managers fault ( sarcasm)
Rodgers is a disgraceful manager . There are 2 things that really puzzle me ,
1 . How did a championship manager with no history of success get a job as manager of one of the worlds biggest clubs ?
2 . How has he not been sacked already ?
Can you imagine any other big club floundering in mid table half way through the season , and NOT sacking the idiot ?
Sack Rodgers NOW before he blows the january kitty , just like he blew the summer kitty .
We have world class players , and only a total thick like Rodgers could balls it up . Its incompetence on a level ive never seen before
Listen guys there are some really hard and depressing anti-Rodgers comments on here. I do feel sorry for the guy and really want him to succeed, BUT he was a risk! As someone pointed out in an earlier post FSG took and enormous risk appointing a manager with no real pedigree – probably advised by Ian Ayre. Who, by the way, is the man probably responsible for us not re-employing Benitez, apparently he said he would have Rafa back over his dead body!! Well I think Ayre’s days are numbered then because Rafa should NEVER EVER have been sacked!! He had one “bad” season when Liverpool were in turmoil and financial meltdown and he was fighting behind the scenes battles and being told he had to sell players and make a profit in the transfer market to service H&Gs debt. Rodgers had better learn fast and turn Liverpool FC around and back to the top quick otherwise he will have mass protests against him and the “naive” and nasty Ayres and American owners!!
Think you hit the nail on the head mate ! I’ve had my doubts about how much imput Ian Ayer has after the DC and KD transfer debacle ! While I’m still unsure of BR ability to manage a big club but it seems like he’s been punished coz of the previous waste of £ 100 mil by DC And KD which is unfair on Rodgers and if fsg don’t back their man it looks likely it will back fire on them ! Take note fsg and look what happened to the previous yanky cowboys !
All of them need to jog on , FSG need to sell , Ayre is an embarrassment and needs to go , And firstly Rodgers needs to be sacked now . He was never good enough for our club and is making us weaker by the day
I agree that Rogers has to go as soon as possible and also Ayre who is a F****** Idiot. Look what Benitez has done at Chelsea, He has turned it around for them and they are playing well.
Rogers needs to play to the teams strengths and not silly football which does not get results. I do not mind if we only have 5 mins with the ball as long as we have won the game. We need results and that means win’s
FSG needs to spend at least 50 to 60 million in this transfer window.
Chelsea also have a star studded line up, even with Rafa at the helm I don’t think he can turn a mediocre team to top 4 material, besides Chelsea weren’t doing that bad before Di Matteo was sacked.
Rafa came in and did simple things
– Played to Torres strengths – its working
– Moved Luiz to midfield – its working
– Dropped the useless Mikel – its working
Its Not Rocket Science – Good managers get best out of what they have
– bad managers make their players look poor by using wrong formation , tactics etc etc
– Rodgers is a fracking atrocious manager
People will see the real Gerrard when we have a new manager . Our team is at least as good as spurs
A new manager can sell all of Rodgers signings plus Downing etc , spent it on good players we can easily be top 4 next season
Rafa had a better squad in his last season and finished 7th. I really don’t that he could turn this team around and be top 4 material, there has been very poor signings over the last 2 summer transfer windows.
The crap being served up to us by Rodgers and FSG would not be accepted at any other giant global Club, so WHY is it being accepted at Liverpool???.
Rodgers is a clueless idiot, out of his depth, he’s a nobody! he’s ALL TALK just like the players and just like the owners FSG!!!.
Rodgers OUT!!!
FSG OUT!!!
I echo the other people’s sentiments . Rodgers IS out of his depth . He must be sacked ASAP , and the idiots need to stop making up excuses
Di Santo 104 games in england – 12 goals
This is the type of player Rodgers would bring to our club . can fans not see the depths to which Rodgers is sinking us into ?
Why do people feel the need to blame everyone except the man who picks the team ? Wrong signings , horrendos transfer window mistakes , wrong selections , wrong subs , boring boring football .
I cant think of 1 thing the man has done to benefit our club . Not one . The mans deserves to be sacked . He is totally to blame
I like most on here don’t like Liverpools position in the ladder but I think some comments are either made through frustration and ignorance. Firstly we can’t blame BR for our position this started way back in 2008 with Hicks & Gillette. They left the club in a mess and remember in the verge of bankruptcy. Then they sacked Rafa who fought tooth and nail with them for funds, then they appointed Hodgson. That poor guy who had a decent track record was handed a squad that wanted out and virtually no money to fill in the gaps. FSG then came in a saved the club and I think did the right thing and appointed KK but it should have only been on a caretaker basis. FSG did the right thing and handed KK spending money and he along with Camolli over spent on players that were not good enough for LFC.
Guys I’m saying this because some need reminding of the past. BR came in with a lot of deadwood and pretty much cleaned out what needed to go and finally gave the kids a go. We have seen Stirling, Suso, Wisdom and Shelvey blossom which in the long run will make us a better team. I also think Allen will grow as a player as he is only 22. It wasn’t that long ago we were singing his praises in the first few weeks which is credit to the guy as most have crumbled under the pressure.
We don’t have a wealthy Russian or An arab tycoon to massively transform the club overnight so we have to be patient. Sacking BR won’t help things, nor changing the game plan which won Spain the world cup and back to back Euros and Barca the Champions League. It’s a good game plan that will take time and the right players into the club. You know if it wasn’t for Skrtel’s back pass against Man C, poor linesman decision against Everton or Valencias dive against Man U we would be sitting around 4th.
You will get inconsistent displays when you have youth in your side. Be patient, I think we are moulding a side of players who want to play with us and we are not recruiting mercenaries who are there for money
Very well said mate.
We can have patience when a decent manager is in place , not with this no mark who is taking us backwards
No .Sacking Rodgers WILL HELP instantly . A new (good) manager will give everyone a boost , drop Rodgers pet Allen for good , and dump the stupid system Rodgers has .
Everyones a winner !
We so badly new a new manager to put this club back on track . Everyone wanted BR to do well ,but he has been a massive failure .
Come on Mr Henry , Give this club back its pride by giving us a decent manager
ooh look , yet another rubbish article making excuses and trying to shift the blame away from where it really lies .
What has this club turned into , that its fans make up lame excuses for the managers shortcomings ?
Rodgers IS the lowest point in our history , I dont think its possible for anyone else to push us lower
Hate to say it but this Liverpool side are not a top four team, look at the other big teams they all have better quality players. You can blame BR all day long but the truth is this team is shocking, Gerrard is past his peak.
Sacking the manager after six months wont change anything, so many naive fans on here. We just need to accept that Liverpool are a mid-table team now.
I agree, average players. Di Matteo took over a rich Chelsea team as a unproven manager and won them cups, I believe we need better players
duh … Here is Rodgers record
-4 Signings – 4 totally Shi*e players plus Sturridge that makes 5
Good managers buy good players
Bad managers buy bad players
…… GET IT ?
If people cant grasp the basics of football like that , then they are too dumb to even converse with , so dont bother
You are so dumb
We sacked Hodgson after 6 months …. AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT ?
……… We rocketed up the table , everything improved immediately
Dont you morons get it yet ?
One more time…
Good managers = Buying good players = Getting good results
Bad managers = Buying bad players = Getting bad results
Rodgers has bought awful players , got awful results ……. hmmmm let me see ….. oh yes – Rodgers is a disgraceful pathetic manager
Duh
Then the same manager bought; Downing, Carroll, Hendo, Adam, Coates all for stupid prices and then we finished 8th, all those player put together are not even worth $20m.
He inherited a bad squad.
Don’t you get it? You moron!
What kind of f**ing idiot are u ? All i see on here every article is u and one other dumb fool defending Rodgers – u dont have a clue about football u retard
You are a troll Matt . Nothing you have ever said is even remotely intelligent . I presume you are a kid ?
He inherited an excellent squad ,and with spurs and arsenal struggling – any competent guy would have us at least 4th
Stop being ignorant U FOOL
What did you guys expect? I’m simply trying to point the mess we were in when he took over; a squad depleted with confidence, over paid useless players he inherited. To say this is an excellent squad that finished 8th last year is conpletely deluded, any manager coming in would’ve sruggled. I’m frustrated just like you, staying up at night watching the games and then going work in the morning tired, thinking about the missed opportunities time after time, especially the display against Stoke with slow build up football. I support Liverpool not Rodgers and I always want them to do their best just like all of you here. Call me a troll or a child but there’s nothing more juvenile than the crap all of you post, week in week out its all the same stuff why don’t you offer some constructive critism for once.